Finally back for an update... a lot has happened since the site was last updated.
Eddie Johnson: Eddie Johnson joined the team... or rather "re-joined" the team. Eddie played with the Jumpmen last year during the 2001 MAYB National Championships. We were excited to have him join the team and looked forward to the following season. But, unfortunately, Eddie returned to Las Vegas. Eddie and his family returned to Pueblo in early 2002 and he played with the team at the 2002 MAYB Nationals! Eddie is a great addition and we are happy to have him back.
MAYB Nationals: MAYB Nationals were great! The Jumpmen went 5-1 and finished in fifth place. The Jumpmen beat the Kansas City Clippers 80-26 and the Oklahoma Showtime 56-37 in pool play. They beat the Gardner Blazers 60-36 in the round of 32. In the round of 16, the Jumpmen faced the defending champion (and one of the tournament favorites) Arkansas Hawks. In a defensive struggle against a great team, the Jumpmen pulled off one of their best victories 33-30. Two hours later, the boys came out flat and lost in the quarterfinals to the Corpus Christi Panthers 47-38. The Jumpmen finished Sunday strong by beating two solid squads, the Enid Blue Devils 49-47 in OT and the SW Missouri Airmen 62-51 to claim fifth. Thanks to Dylan Hochevar for coming to Kansas with us. A great finish to a great season! The Topeka Jayhawks, a team the Jumpmen had lost to in the MAYB Summer Kick-Off Championship game, beat the Oklahoma Storm to win the championship. The Jumpmen finished the year 57-8 and won eight championships, two second place finishes and one consolation championship.
This season: The Jumpmen kicked off the season going 2-2 at the Storm Shootout in Lawton, Oklahoma against some great teams, including the host Oklahoma Storm, who finished second at MAYB Nationals, the Tulsa Titans, the Texas TA Pistons, the Oklahoma Wizards (Athletes First) and the Norman Panthers . The Oklahoma City Panthers, who finished fifth at AAU Nationals in 2002, beat the Oklahoma Storm for the title. Thanks to Billy Davis for a great tournament and for being such a great host!
The Jumpmen then competed in the Niwot Classic played at Silver Creek and Niwot High Schools in the Boulder area. The Jumpmen went 6-0 and beat a solid Monarch team for the championship 72-35 behind 29 points from Nicholas Marinucci. Nicholas Marinucci and Eddie Johnson were named to the All-Tournament team. Other teams included Wheat Ridge, Conifer, Arvada West and Niwot. Rick Allen, you do great things!
The Jumpmen participated in the Turkey Shootout in Pueblo over the Thanksgiving weekend. They went 4-0 and beat the Red Shield Colorado Hawks 52-48 in OT to win the title. Devon Manning had 10 of his 13 points in the third quarter to bring the Jumpmen back from a nine point halftime deficit and Nick Haning made a layup that rolled around the rim as time expired to send the game to overtime. Other teams included the Canon City Tigers, New Mexico Warzone and La Gente.
The Jumpmen and Colorado Hawks got the chance to meet each other two more times a couple of weeks later. In two more great battles, the Colorado Hawks beat the Jumpmen 43-41 in pool play and the Jumpmen came back to win the title over the Colorado Hawks 46-41 in the final. Three great games between the two best teams in the state of Colorado (see CSA Hoops link)! All-Tournament awards went to Devon Manning, Nicholas Marinucci and Cody Sorensen and Nicholas Marinucci was named Tournament MVP. A shout-out goes to the coach of the Colorado Hawks... a great coach and class-act, Juwad Abduhalic Ali (aka Danny Fischer)! Hope I got the spelling right...
Once more, the Jumpmen got to play some great competition from outside the area when they met the New Mexico Flight (the best team in New Mexico) and the Santa Fe Slam in the Red Hot Classic held over Valentine's Day weekend in Pueblo. Sticking with their formula, the Jumpmen lost to the NM Flight 57-50 in pool play and then came back to beat them 52-49 in OT in the championship. Delandis Wright and Devon Manning each hit key threes to keep the Jumpmen in the game and Nicholas Marinucci sealed the game with a late three in OT. Two more classic games! The Jumpmen also beat the Santa Fe Slam, a scrappy and well-disciplined team, 75-45 in pool play and 63-41 in an exhibition. Cody Sorensen did a great job battling the big man from NM Flight and Josh Medina shot well all weekend. Charlie, we missed you...
July 23, 2002
The MAYB National Championship schedule was posted on the MAYB (www.mayb.com) web site today. Thirty-three teams from nine states will compete including the returning champion Arkansas Hawks. The Jumpmen will play two pool games against the Kansas City Clippers and Oklahoma Showtime. The pool games will be used to determine seedings in the brackets.
July 15, 2002
Just returned from Dallas, TX after competing in the Basketball Congress International National Championships. Thirty-six teams from 16 states competed from July 6-10. The Jumpmen reached the Sweet Sixteen where they lost to the Long Island Lightning, the eventual second place team, and the Texomo Hornets in a close game. The Jumpmen also lost to the West Virginia D-1 Greyhounds, the 2002 AAU Champions, in pool play. The Greyhounds eventually won the championship.
July 13, 2002
Created the Pueblo Jumpen Hoops site and Nicholas Marinucci's Hoops Info site.